Here's a fun fact that not many people may know: In the movie 'Saving Private Ryan', the director had the American actors go through a boot camp to prepare them for the action, and so that they would really appear to have been "battle worn"; everybody that is, except for Tom Hanks. Mr. Hanks wasn't told that everybody else went to Boot Camp, but everybody knew that Tom Hanks didn't go to Boot Camp. This was done purposely so that when Private Ryan had to be in scenes, the soldiers hatred towards him would be real.
Here's a fun fact number two that you may or may have not known as well: (SPOILER ALERT!!) When the Harry Potter movies were being filmed, J.K. Rowling and Alan Rickman were the only two people who knew of Snape's secret love for Lilly Potter, and his promise to protect Harry. This was done so that the characters of Harry, Hermoine, and Ron were a 'true' hatred for Snape's character.
Also on an unrelated note, apparently the rugrats were all a figment of Angelica's imagination, but that's a different story for a different time.
Sometimes, as a director, you have to be mean and lie to your actors. You might have to think out of the box and do the unexpected. Just because someone is a professional actor doesn't mean that you will get 100% of their best acting all the time, or even the emotions that you want. You might have to do something as weird as tell everyone something different about a scene so they act differently. The filming of Castaway had to be halted for a year so Tom Hanks could stop working out and didn't eat healthy just so he could effectively portray the body of a man deserted on an island. Directing will sometimes require you to do the unthinkable to get the best shots; it will require new angles, different equipment, and even using different types of light to portray a scene in a way that you didn't possible. The sky is the limit with your imagination, why not make your own rocket ship and break that limit.
a very interesting a blog and very good points about directing. However how can you just leave us hanging with the rugrats story? Granted, I know it, but still its interesting
ReplyDeleteIntriguing stuff. Though, I personally wouldn't go the length to call it, "being mean." I'd call it decision making. Decisive - decision making.
ReplyDeleteEven as we work on our class projects, it's always a matter of combining the information and skills learned in the classroom with the real world. And that's something which can't be learned via the textbooks. Effectively carrying out a task, especially one done in conjunction with other people, provides the opportunity to learn those interpersonal skills, or hone them even further. Communication is an important aspect of any business, job, task - whatever it may be.
Barking orders is one method, sure. Using your intellect to have everyone understand what the vision is, and what needs to happen, and more importantly, to have them WANT to help to achieve it - that's quite another.